On the shelf behind Afaf Meleis' desk in the Nursing Education Building, there is a framed photograph of herself and the first lady of Pennsylvania, Midge Rendell.
For Meleis, the dean of the School of Nursing, Rendell is not just the governor's wife, nor is she simply a particularly high-profile alumna.
Rendell has earned her spot on Meleis' shelf through the years she has spent advising, critiquing and networking as the chairwoman of the Nursing School's Board of Overseers.
"I consider her a partner in running the school, in managing the school, in providing leadership for the school," Meleis says.
And Meleis is not alone in her positive experiences with the Nursing Board of Overseers. Across campus, 16 oversight boards help to guide the progress of Penn's schools, athletics department, museums and other institutions.
"The overseers represent the top volunteer leadership for the schools and centers," Director of Overseer Affairs Allison Cannady-Smith says of the 500 board members.
Though overseers' impact on students varies by board, the bodies are involved in the creation of many new scholarships, academic programs and artistic endeavors such as Penn Arts and Culture Day.
School of Arts and Sciences Overseer Mitch Blutt says that "ideas can generate ... from the Board of Overseers, but it is not a governing authority and it shouldn't be." Instead, Blutt says that the board affects students in the long run.
"The effect on students is once-removed," he says, though he notes that ultimately "all the students in a school are impacted."
Penn's Institute of Contemporary Art Board of Overseers Chairwoman Kathy Sachs says she thinks her board has the opportunity to enrich the lives of students.
"It is our hope that the work we do affects students very directly," she says. "We're looking for creative ways for the professors and the kids to take advantage of what the ICA has to offer, so they graduate to be better global citizens," she says.
The boards offer their support in the form of guidance and monetary assistance.
"They're the first line of resources outside our own budget," says Eduardo Glandt, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
He adds that he turns to the overseers for everything from internship opportunities for students to facilities improvements.
Both the renovations to the Nursing School and the construction of Skirkanich Hall in the Engineering quadrangle were mainly financed by overseer donations.
"They are successful people, of course, and they make Engineering a focus of their philanthropy," Glandt says of his board.
Donations are always a welcome perk for the schools and centers with overseer boards, but Meleis also sees other benefits of having the body.
"They bring the outside world to us," she says. "They are our spokespeople to the world."
The connections extend in many directions, with overseers "connecting us to other constituencies," Meleis notes, as well as making internal connections.
"They serve as a pipeline to the trustees," Glandt says.
Penn Press Board of Overseers Chairwoman Elsie Howard, who has served as both a University trustee and an overseer on five other boards, says that her time spent volunteering at Penn has been extremely rewarding.
"The sense of collaboration and co-activity is immeasurable," she says of Penn's boards.
Though some overseers, like Howard, simultaneously serve as University trustees, the role of the overseers is quite different from that of trustees.
"Trustees own the University -- overseers are advisory," Glandt says, describing his board of overseers as "a sounding board."
Many say the diversity of the members is critical to the boards' effectiveness.
"There's professional diversity, gender diversity, ethnic diversity," Cannady-Smith says. "It gives the deans and center directors a diverse set of perspectives."
Indeed, Meleis attributes the "amazing dialogue" of her board to the broad range of opinions it encompasses.
The overseers themselves seem to appreciate working with such a diverse group of peers.
"Collaborating with really outstanding people from very different parts of the world and very different backgrounds ... is a very fun and rewarding experience," Blutt says.
The College and Wharton alumnus describes his experience on the board as "invigorating and stimulating."
From the perspective of someone on the other end of the relationship, Glandt highlights the close connections he has with his board.
"I can close the door, just them and me, and speak freely," he says.
When determining who gets appointed to the Engineering Board of Overseers, Glandt has an interesting formula.
"My test is, 'Is this a person that I would love to be seated next to at a dinner?'" he says with a smile. "That's the real division of individuals -- those you want at your table and those you don't."
